This invention relates generally to machine tools, and more particularly concerns a pallet and workpiece handling system for quickly and efficiently moving workpieces to and from a machine tool.
In modern industry, the high cost of complex machine tools and the expense of labor require that the machine tools and the labor force be utilized as efficiently as possible. One known way to provide this efficiency is to secure workpieces to movable pallets, and to then transfer the pallet and workpiece combination to and from a work-performing station at the machine tool. By quickly and accurately locating the pallet with respect to the machine tool work-performing station, the workpiece is correspondingly located. The machine tool can then quickly and accurately perform its cycle of operations on the workpiece. Meanwhile, another pallet and workpiece can be set up and readied for movement to the machine tool work-performing station. In this way, the machine tool can perform machining operations during most of its operating time. Machine operations are not interrupted or delayed by workpiece set-up and transfer tasks being performed directly at the machine tool work station.
To implement some aspects of this concept, a number of pallet and workpiece handling systems have been previously offered. In general, however, these pallet handling systems have been associated with but a single machine tool. Moreover, the design of these systems does not permit workpiece pallets to be expeditiously transferred to other machine tools.
Other transfer systems provide extensive cart and track arrays for carrying pallets and mounted workpieces between widely separated machine tools. However, these systems still require manual or intricate machine-assist efforts to transfer the pallets and associated workpieces between the carts and the adjacent machine tools.
It is accordingly the general object of the present invention to provide a pallet and workpiece handling system which will permit a number of pallets, loaded with workpieces, to be transferred between a number of machine tools in a quick, efficient, and inexpensive manner.
An associated object is to provide such a workpiece handling system which will permit pallets and associated workpieces to be transferred to and from machine tools on the one hand, and to and from pallet-carrying carts on another hand so that workpieces may be quickly and efficiently moved between a group of machine tools and any other point in a factory area.
Another object is to provide such a workpiece handling system which can be operated by a single worker who can closely supervise pallet transferring operations in a safe and efficient manner.
Yet another object is to provide a workpiece handling system utilizing transferrable workpiece-carrying pallets which has a high degree of design flexibility, so that the system can move pallets to and from various machine tools and, if necessary, transfer carts, although the machine tools and carts are located in any of a variety of positions relative to one another. A related object is to provide such a system which uses a centralized pallet receiving and delivering stand mechanism having an extended "reach" or range of operative motion.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such a pallet and workpiece transferring system in which the transfer system and the associated machine tool tables can be quickly and accurately aligned with one another to provide easy, trouble-free pallet transfer action.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts.